Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty covers a family of surgical maneuvers on the nasal framework. A straightforward augmentation may raise a low bridge with a silicone or ePTFE implant, while a so-called composite rhinoplasty combines several steps—often an implant or grafted cartilage for the bridge plus reshaping of the tip using the patient's own septal, ear, or rib cartilage. The right combination depends on anatomy, skin thickness, and the specific concern.

Surgery can change the nose's structure, but only within the limits of the skin envelope and the cartilage available; it cannot copy a photo of someone else's nose onto a different face. Non-surgical options—thread-lift noses that embed absorbable threads, and "liquid rhinoplasty" that injects fillers—are separate, temporary approaches with their own risk profiles and are covered elsewhere; this entry is about the operation itself.

Rhinoplasty is usually performed under general anesthesia, sometimes under local anesthesia with sedation for limited procedures. Surgeons work through either a closed approach, with incisions hidden inside the nostrils, or an open approach that adds a small cut across the columella between the nostrils for a fuller view—commonly chosen for complex tip work or revisions. Before surgery, expect a health screening plus detailed discussion of the desired shape, often with photos.